


To Rule an Empire

by SodaPopProphet (TradeMark_Deception)



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Betrayal, Conspiracy, Intrigue, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Politics, a whole lot of cameos, and for happy endings, but they arent named and its only in the prologue, no one will die in this i promise, please know that while this sounds angsty af im a slut for humor, relationships will tagged as they appear within the plot, will add tags as needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2019-11-04 19:25:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17904101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TradeMark_Deception/pseuds/SodaPopProphet
Summary: It started with a whisper.It ended with an accident.Or rather, it was supposed to.Kim Hongjoong, newly crowned emperor to an empire indifferent to him, a court loyal to his dead father, and a target of a conspiracy to see him overthrown, seeks to uncover those truly loyal to him or loyal to the usurper lurking just out of sight who always seems to be one step ahead.





	1. Prologue: The Whisper Heard Throughout the Empire

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there!! This is my first fic for this fandom and my first fic under this pseudonym. Just to clarify, I'll tag ships later since they are important to the plot but won't be important until later on. Hope you enjoy this au, it's been a blast to develop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It started with a whisper.

It started with a whisper.

It started with a singular whisper that echoed throughout the palace, throughout the empire.  A whisper that could only be traced back to the court where it lingered and grew more and more potent as time passed.

And the royal family ignored it.  The whisper reaching their ears in dead of night, the stillness of the halls, the bustle of Seoul.  It’s words always ignored with all the grace and ignorance hubris allowed for. They were the chosen ones, the ones meant to lead, to rule.  They were infallible. They were invincible.

They were wrong.

They carried on in their willful ignorance, ignoring the way the court seemed to watch them with bated breath, ignoring the way maids and servants shook with nerves unmasked, ignoring the way their guards lingered, the way their guards’ eyes scanned their surroundings two, three times everywhere they went.  The only acknowledgement the Emperor and his wife gifted the whisper was with their son, their impossibly young, gifted son. The extra hours they demanded from his tutors and mentors, the fiercely loyal personal guard they assigned him, the isolated room hidden within the palace they moved him to, the new maids and servants meant to serve only him they gifted.

But they simply carried on while their son, their only son, grew up a part from them.  No safer from the whisper than them. But he grew while they stagnated. He grew from a studious boy to man who’d be expected to be a great emperor.  But the whisper lingered in the court and unlike his parents who still lived with their chins held impossibly high, he paid attention. He heard the whisper and listened.

He was only a prince then.  There was nothing he could do except fret over the parents who pushed him aside and the empire that barely acknowledged him outside of gossip surrounding the accursed whisper.  So he simply stayed in his quarters, continued his lessons, and kept to himself.

And then things changed.

As soon as he was old enough, he attended court, persuading his tutors and mentors.  He attended with his guard to one side and his favorite tutor to the other. The trio too young for the court to pay any mind but too old for the court to look down upon publicly.  And he watched, his guard observed, and his tutor recorded. Recorded who favored the emperor, who argued, who sighed, who complained, who laughed too loudly, smiled too brightly. Who paid too much attention to the prince and his companions.  And when the trio left, the prince with his shoulders back, the guard with his hand relaxed against the handle of his sword, the tutor with his journal full of notes, the whisper was no longer their problem.

It started with a whisper.

It ended with an accident.

Just before the prince’s twentieth birthday, the palace fell into a state of mourning.  The Emperor and his wife had been killed during their travels, far from their empire’s shores.  The prince’s uncle came to Seoul to deliver the news that soaked into the walls with an air of sadness and expectancy.  There had been a storm, the prince was told, the crew and ship unprepared and thus was the end of his parent’s reign. And the abrupt start of his own.

Once the day ended, once he and the court, no longer his parent’s but his, had adjourned after hours of debate and discussion, once his coronation date was set and the fine details recorded, the prince returned to his isolated room far from the rest of the palace, returned to his tutor and his guard who stayed by his side while he finally let stress overcome him.

His birthday passed and in the months following, the months leading to his coronation, his guard was gifted the title of general, suddenly in charge of the Imperial Army but still the soon-to-be Emperor’s personal guard, and his tutor asked in secret to be an adviser of his, one hidden from the court so that the threats of his father’s reign would be lessened during his own.

A few months before the prince’s coronation, an addition was made to soon-to-be emperor’s inner circle.  A young man, close in age to prince, who had risen through the military’s ranks remarkably fast was selected by the prince’s guard for a promotion.  The young man given the offer to lead the military’s internal intelligence and work alongside the prince’s guard overseeing the military. The promotion ultimately being the prince’s decision.

And suddenly there were whispers in the court again.  More manageable then in the past but ever present as the court awaited the prince’s decision, ready to defend it or condemn it.  The palace walls pulsing anxiously in time with the prince’s pacing, his tutor’s collected breaths, and his guard’s soft persuasion.  In time with the court’s conspiratorial quips.

He knew how the court viewed the matter.  The young man in question was of common blood, sponsored by a noble family into the military after he saved their son from death.  He was not of their class, their world. No amount of sponsorship could buy that sort of inherent respect. And while his sponsoring noble, the son he saved as his parent had long past to illness, garnered him the fundamental respect his position required, he was still an outsider who merely assimilated to their world.  He’d never truly be one of them. To assimilate him further, to promote him, would be forgivable eventually but far from easily forgotten.

This would be the first decision of his not yet real reign, a reign thrown onto a neglected foundation with rotting supporting beams.  He had a court to appease, an empire to lead, a circle to protect, and himself to preserve. And suddenly the first nearly forgotten whisper echoed through the halls of the palace into the back of his mind.

He made his decision.

And the commoner general was promoted.  

The prince crediting the guidance of an adviser unknown to the court for leading him to the decision.  No member of the court objected, too busy attempting to uncover the identity of the adviser to bother. And the trio left the court with the commoner general at their side in the wake of the distraction.

And for the time being no one opposed the emerging emperor’s reign.

Finally coronation came and passed in a blur.  The palace a flurry of activity and mindless gossip while the Emperor simply reined everything together, attempting to mend the cracks and follies of his father’s reign in spite of a court loyal to the dead emperor rather than the living one.

But for the time being all seemed well in the empire.

It started with a whisper.

It ended with an accident.

Or rather, it was supposed to.


	2. Chapter 1: High Class Stable Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lesson Number One: It should be known that Yeosang is an unforgiving force of nature.  
> Lesson Number Two: Don't hide in the stables ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!! Hope you all are doing well!! Firstly thank you to everyone who left kudos and commented (I always try and reply to every comment I get), ya'll are the reason I come back and write!! Anyways hope you all enjoy the chapter!!

Generally, Yeosang liked to think of himself as a calm man, a man of intellect, a man of poise.  He was here to tutor and teach, meant to act as a beacon of knowledge to those he spent his life with in the palace.  His calling was to foster intelligence and guide others in wisdom and justice.

But if he didn't find the Emperor within the hour, the chances of his Majesty's reign shortening due to mysterious circumstances would increase exponentially. 

But that was assuming Yeosang could find his Majesty first.  Along with Mingi and Yunho. Yeosang knew better now than to think those two were innocent in all this.  He’d spent close to two years dealing with Mingi and Hongjoong’s antics, almost six months of that with Yunho in the mix.  Yeosang knew better.

Except this time it must have been Mingi’s idea, it was always harder for Yeosang to figure out his plans out of the three.  Besides, the last four times Yunho was the one who found the hiding spots, so it’d be Mingi’s turn this time. And they must have somewhere new to hide this time because it was approaching afternoon and Yeosang had made no progress.

Yeosang liked to think of himself as a patient man.  The headache building behind his eyes suggested the opposite would become reality in a short while.  Sighing, Yeosang turned a hallway and spied one of the young guards by his post.

“Jongho-ssi.”

Jongho’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he quickly recovered, politely bowing to Yeosang.

“Yeosang-ssi?”

Yeosang sucked in a breath that would have been a sigh and replied.

“Have you happened to have see his Majesty some time day?”

Jongho blinked and frowned a bit, his young face making the frown look more like a pout truthfully.  Had Yeosang been in a better mood, he might have found it endearing. Like he did when he had first met the young man a few months back.  He had been discussing matters with Yunho at the time, passing by the training barracks while on their walk. Both ended up getting distracted by the training taking place.  Yeosang was far from comfortable by the barracks, the building always radiating power, a sort of power Yeosang had never familiarized himself with. He knew political power, intellectual power.  Military power, the power that could freeze the air solid and seep into the ground, was far beyond him. It frightened him.

It fascinated him.

He couldn’t help but watch the training with curious eyes.  Yunho laughed, but said nothing and only filled in details for Yeosang, far too used to the military’s world and Yeosang’s endless curiosity.  They watched the training for a while, their previous conversation forgotten for the time being as Yunho explained what he could to Yeosang. Only when Yeosang’s attention fell to the center of the area did he interrupt Yunho.

“Who’s that there?  I don’t recognize him.”

Yunho followed his gaze where a young man was training with Mingi, the young man nearly a full head shorter than Mingi but not at all struggling against him.

“Ah, that’s Jongho-hubae.  One of Mingi-ya’s students.”

“Is he new?”

The pair watched Jongho suddenly stumble as Mingi gained the upper hand, Yeosang turning his attention back to Yunho who only grinned and nodded his head back in the direction of the fight as he replied.

“Yes, but he doesn’t fight like it.”

Yeosang turned back just in time to notice the shift in Jongho.  

He didn’t know much about fighting, barely knowing the basics of self defense on his own, but he knew that there was a sort of intelligence that fighting required outside of pure instinct and raw power.  He knew the way people’s eyes would gleam with realization and formulate a spur of the moment plan, unpredictable and deeply unsettling in the split second it occurred.

He turned back just in time to see the gleam in Jongho’s eyes right before he spun out from under where Mingi was forcing him down.  And in the blink of an eye, Jongho had managed to push Mingi nearly two meters away from him, pinning Mingi down with a sword at his throat.

It would have been enough to panic Yeosang if it wasn’t for the boyish smile on Jongho’s face.

Without looking away as Jongho helped Mingi to his feet with an apology amidst Mingi’s praise, Yeosang replied.

“No, he certainly does not.”

Since, Yeosang had developed a sense of respect for the guard, he was always polite and helpful and kind enough that the servant girls didn’t hesitate to go to him for help or just to talk.  It was rather refreshing to see Jongho sometimes, willing and capable. It was no wonder Mingi had taken a liking to the young man.

“No, I haven’t.  Is his Majesty alright?”

Yeosang sighed and tried desperately to not roll his eyes in aggravation.  He must have failed because Jongho bit his lips in response, clearly trying to hide a smile and remain professional.

“He was supposed to have a lesson today I’m assuming.”

Yeosang groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, not dignifying that with a response instead muttering.

“I swear I’m going to kill his Majesty when I find him.”

He could hear Jongho stifle a laugh.

“As loyal guard to the Imperial throne, I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Also Yunho-ya and Mingi-ya.  They’re not getting away this time either.”

Another stifled laugh.

“That too.”

Yeosang looked up and held Jongho in a stare.

“If I get to Mingi-ya, I see to it you get a promotion.”

Jongho simply bit his lips harder and turned to look straight ahead in front of him and in the most even voice he could muster, replied.

“I wish you luck in your search.”

Yeosang nodded solemnly and patted Jongho on the shoulder.

“I always knew you were a good one.”

That actually worked a laugh out of the guard.

“Thank you.  But seriously, if I see them I’ll come let you know.”

Yeosang nodded and started the rest of the hallway.

“That’d be appreciated.”

Before he got too far away, he turned back.

“Jongho-ssi.”

Jongho blinked and turned around curiously.

“Yes?”

“You would know Mingi-ya’s strategies better than I would.  Where do you think he’d hide them?”

“You think it’s Mingi-nim’s turn to hide them?”

“The past few times have been Yunho-ya and I’ve been checking his spots all afternoon now.”

Jongho hummed with a nod.

“You’ve already checked the training barracks?”

“Yes, just before I came here.”

“They might be changing hiding spots at this point.”

Yeosang shook his head.

“I don’t think so, they’ve tried that in the past but I found them that time.”

Jongho nodded and paused for a moment, thinking.

“Have you checked the stables?”

Yeosang blinked.

“No? I don’t-”

Yeosang cut off and turned on his heel, expression skillfully blank.

“Thank you Jongho-ssi.  I’ll be back.”

Jongho laughed and watched Yeosang head towards the exit.

“Tell his Majesty I said hello!”

 

* * *

Hongjoong was rather proud and ashamed to consider today a success.  He knew going to Mingi and Yunho in the morning for help would be well worth the risk of Yeosang’s wrath.  He was supposed to test Hongjoong on something he didn’t spend enough time studying for and while Yeosang was a fantastic tutor, the man was notoriously unforgiving when it came to his studies.  So going to Mingi and Yunho for help hiding came a bit too naturally to Hongjoong.

Though he had to admit, he thought Yeosang would have found them by now.

Instead the trio sat in the loft in the stables above the stalls, spending the passing hours chatting mindlessly, Mingi and Yunho not very discreetly trying to help distract Hongjoong from his worries.  Hongjoong silently appreciated it, sending the two a small smile every now and then to reassure them when the conversation faltered.

Really though their conversation had ceased around an hour ago, the two generals instead nearly forcing Hongjoong to try and rest while they hid.  Hongjoong wanted to argue, he really did but they were currently hiding in the stables far from any responsibility Hongjoong could try and use as an excuse, he knew from the look in their eyes that he couldn’t win.  So he relented with a sigh and tried to get as comfortable as possible against the wooden walls of the loft, unsurprised at how quickly he began to drift off, the soft lull of Mingi and Yunho’s voices drifting quietly in the background while stable boys worked below them.  None of the trio paying much mind to the sound of the stable door opening, until someone cleared their throat and all three instantly shot up and froze.

“You know your Majesty, if you wanted more riding lessons, you could have just asked.”

Hongjoong had half the mind to shoot Yeosang a dirty look down from the loft but the seemingly normal grin on Yeosang’s face made him freeze once again.

“Really your Majesty, I wasn’t aware you liked the stables this much.”

Hongjoong just watched as Yeosang walked over to a beam by the loft, leaning against it before looking up at Hongjoong again then past him.

“Same goes to you too, generals.”

There was a tense pause before Mingi and Yunho poked their heads over the side of the loft, both grinning weakly at Yeosang who still smiled like everything was fine.

But the way his eyes narrowed kept the trio from daring to respond.  Instead Yeosang continued, casually looking around the stable as if it actually interested him.

“I mean really, you three must really enjoy your time here given you’ve been here for oh I don’t know…”

He flashed Hongjoong grin.

“ _ Four hours  _ now?”

Unable to break free from Yeosang’s stare, Hongjoong leaned over and whispered.

“If I jump out of window behind me do you think he’ll be able to catch me?”

All three stared down at the still grinning Yeosang who watched the three with an amused glint in his eyes.

In perfect sync, Yunho and Mingi replied.

“Absolutely.”

Suddenly Yeosang sighed, slumping against the beam.  He just looked tired and instantly a pang of guilt pulsed through the trio.

Yeosang waved them down, movements sluggish.

“Come on now, just get down here.  I’m not going to do anything.”

The trio shared a look, hanging their heads as they made their way down from the loft.  Yeosang only rewarded them with another sigh and pushed himself up right, putting a hand on Hongjoong’s shoulder.  

It would have been fine, if he didn’t feel the way Yeosang’s fingers dug down into his muscle.

He cast a wide eyed glance at Yeosang who still seemed tired and was pointedly not looking back at Hongjoong.  He looked to Mingi and Yunho for help but they were busy looking at their shoes shiftedly.

When Yeosang spoke up he sounded perfectly calm.

“Let’s go, I’m not going to let you get out of tutoring this time.”

At that Mingi and Yunho snapped up to stare at Yeosang incredulously.

Yeosang blinked and almost pouted in response.

“Did you really not believe me?”

Yeosang huffed before either could reply and started towards the doors of the stable, pushing Hongjoong ahead of him.

Hongjoong glanced back just in time to see the way Yeosang grinned before calling over his shoulder.

“I really did mean it,  _ I’m _ not going to do anything.”

He stopped right in the doorway, turning back to face the confused generals.

“I wish I could say the same for you two.”

Yunho stood a bit straighter, asking cautiously.

“What do you mean?”

Yeosang sighed and smiled like he was doing them a favor.

“Well, I realized the two of you must really like this place if you decided it was a tolerable place to hide in so…”

Mingi looked like he was expecting Yeosang, who could barely hold a sword properly, to lunge forward and attack.

“ _ So… _ ”

“I gave the stable boys the day off.  They told me to thank you for so graciously offering to finish the day for them since you put them through all the trouble of hiding you.”

Hongjoong watched the way the color drained from his generals’ faces all while Yeosang grinned, flinching slightly when Yeosang turned his gaze on him, still addressing the generals over his shoulder

“Now I’ll let you two get started.  His Majesty has some extra assignments he needs to get started on.”

And with that, Yeosang turned on his heel and pushed Hongjoong forward, leaving Mingi and Yunho shellshocked in his wake.

The pair walked in silence back towards the palace, Yeosang seemingly in no rush but Hongjoong knew better.  After a few minutes Hongjoong spoke up, shooting Yeosang an unimpressed stare.

“Was the riding comment really necessary?”

Yeosang pretended his lips didn’t almost quirk upwards.

“It was appropriate.”

Yeosang silently chuckling at Hongjoong’s offended noise.  Hongjoong answered back testily.

“You are aware that I can have you executed on a whim?”

Yeosang hummed.

“Oh but your Majesty, we both know you’d miss me too much.”

Hongjoong rolled his eyes and tried to keep the fondness out of his voice.

“Unfortunately.”

* * *

When the pair finally made it back to Hongjoong’s chambers, Yeosang quietly shut the door and watched Hongjoong nearly collapse into the chair by his desk.  Once Yeosang realized Hongjoong wasn’t going to speak up first, Yeosang cleared his throat and asked.

“Are you going to talk to me or just sit there in silence?”

Hongjoong replied with a sigh and dragged his hands down his face, Yeosang finally seeing the circles under Hongjoong’s eyes and the sag in his shoulders.

“I’m sorry.”

Yeosang sighed and came to stand next to Hongjoong who refused to look up.

“I don’t want an apology, hyung.  Just talk to me. What happened?”

Hongjoong glanced up before motioning weakly to a pile on the center of his desk.  Yeosang couldn’t help but sigh as he started flipping through the stack.

“Were you working on court addresses all night?”

Yeosang could hear Hongjoong tensing up as he replied.

“I  _ need  _ to gain the court’s favor.  I can’t-”

“You  _ need _ rest.  You  _ need _ to be  _ healthy _ .”

Hongjoong simply stayed silent, not meeting Yeosang’s gaze.  Yeosang could only stare at his emperor, his friend. He sighed again.

“The court isn’t going to approve of you simply because you aren’t your father, no amount of flattering or diplomatic addresses are going to change that anytime soon.  And you know that if you get sick they’ll see it as weakness on your part and that’ll help no one.”

Hongjoong muffled a groan in his hands before turning to Yeosang pleadingly.

“I  _ know _ , but what am I supposed to do?  How am I supposed to rule an empire that doesn’t yet respect me?”

Yeosang crouched next to Hongjoong and answered back quietly.

“Hyung, you’ve only been emperor for half a year.  Change is never easy but you’re doing  _ fine _ .  You haven’t made a single mistake and the court knows that, they just need time to adjust to your reign.”

Hongjoong stared at Yeosang but didn’t reply, Yeosang casting a glance at the closed door behind them before reaching out for Hongjoong’s hand.  Either dared to break eye contact.

“ _ You aren’t your father _ .  You will be a great emperor.  You  _ are _ a great emperor.”

A moment passed between them before Yeosang rose to his feet and pulled away, a smile playing at his lips.

“But if you don’t start taking care of yourself, I swear I will commit treason.”

Hongjoong laughed.

“I know, I know.”

Yeosang raised an eyebrow testily but unable to force down his smile.

“Really now?  You could have fooled me.”

Hongjoong opened his to reply but Yeosang cut him off.

“Go rest.  We’ll study later tonight but you need to at least get some sleep.”

Hongjoong groaned in frustration, Yeosang knowing that Hongjoong couldn’t argue.

“Alright fine.”

Yeosang stifled a laugh as Hongjoong got up from his chair, Yeosang quietly organizing the desk, listening to Hongjoong get settled in the background.

“I still can’t believe you actually made Mingi-ya and Yunho-ya clean the stables.”

Yeosang chuckled.

“You’re lucky I care for you or else I would have made you join them too.”

Yeosang barely held back a laugh at Hongjoong’s indignant huff.

“Then I  _ really _ would have had you executed.”

Yeosang couldn’t help but grin.

“Of course your Majesty, of course.”

Silence passed between the two as Yeosang sat down at the desk, casting a quick look over his shoulder at the already mostly asleep Hongjoong.

“Sleep well, hyung.”

And with that, Yeosang turned back around and began reading over the pile of court addresses.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the update!! Please leave kudos and comments if you did, I always love seeing them!! On a different note, I want to apologize in advance as I don't keep an update schedule because I'm in college and my workload doesn't always allow for consistent free time for me to write. Regardless I'll try my best to update whenever I can!! Anyways, love you all, have a lovely day (or night)!!


	3. Chapter 2: The Man in Seoul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lesson Number Three: Matters of the court are never that easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!! Hope yall have been well!! Sorry for the delay, I had the first half of the chapter done early on but then life decided to get in the way. Anyways thank you again to everyone who left kudos and comments, you guys always make my day!! Also shoutout to the lovely Romie for aggressively supporting me and being my beta for this fic, I owe them my life honestly. Enjoy the update!!

There was something about the court that always struck Hongjoong as odd.  He didn’t ever truly hate the court despite the fair share of headaches it tended to gift him in spite of his patience.  Truthfully, he didn’t have any bad memories of the court itself, any black tinted memories tied to the court grew from the outside, the halls of the palace, the streets of Seoul, the ships of foreign kingdoms.  That was where the black seeped from, bubbling up from the remnants of a whisper thought to have died alongside the previous emperor. Hongjoong could feel the whisper’s ichor creeping over the palace floors, a slow but sure flood he could only attempt to ignore in his sleep.  Never in his waking moments. Never during the day when the ichor could possibly boil away and taint the air instead.

The court already could hardly trust or respect him.

The last thing he needed was the whisper to breathe new life through his court.

Thankfully, today the court had been mostly cooperative with only a few petty arguments to color the rather bland atmosphere.  But Hongjoong much preferred that to the alternative.  _ Much  _ preferred that.

He may have been the emperor but there was only such he could do even in the trifles the court liked to busy themselves with.  Given that, today was a sigh of relief for Hongjoong.

He should have known it wouldn’t last long.

He was leaving with Yeosang, Yunho, and Mingi when he heard someone approaching from behind.

“Your Majesty!  A moment if you will?”

The group paused and Hongjoong had to stop himself from sighing before turning around, pointedly ignoring the amused glance Yeosang shot him.

Hongjoong blinked in surprise to see Seokjin striding towards them with an air of authority Hongjoong had yet to properly achieve, even as emperor.

Kim Seokjin was one of the few members of the court who transitioned fairly quickly to being loyal to Hongjoong after the previous emperor’s death.  He was an interesting man and while Hongjoong had to admire Seokjin’s experience and knowledge, he was still far beyond Hongjoong’s, even Yeosang’s, understanding.  The court member too fanciful, too outspoken, and far too seemingly honest in comparison to the rest of the court. But despite everything, the man had been supportive of Hongjoong’s reign from the beginning, sometimes stopping to give the emperor bizarre advice that always proved to be helpful.  He gave Hongjoong little reason to distrust him.

And Yunho and his subordinates could find little reason either.

“Is something the matter?”

Seokjin stopped a bit away from Hongjoong and smiled like he knew the punchline to a joke he hadn’t yet told.

“Your Majesty, frankly I’m  _ appalled _ you’d even  _ imply _ that I wouldn’t simply want to converse with you.”

Hongjoong allowed himself a small smile while his friends held back huffs of laughter behind him.

“Remember, I  _ am _ your emperor.”

Seokjin replied with a massively fake huff and exaggerated eye roll, grumbling.

“A bratty one at that.”

“Mind your tongue seonbae,” Hongjoong said with no bite.

That garnered another eye roll and offended cry.

“Learn to respect your elders, your Majesty.”

“I will when they learn to respect me.”

There was a pause before Seokjin burst out laughing, squeaky and genuine.

Seokjin sighed wistfully.

“Ah, I’m glad to see you young ones still have your fire.”

Hongjoong held back a snort but still raised an eyebrow while Mingi and Yunho snickered in the background.

“Young ones?  You’re hardly a decade older than me seonbae.”

Seokjin raised an eyebrow in return and huffed.

“With the way you speak to me?   _ Hm. _ ”

That managed to work a quiet laugh from all of them before they fell into a mild silence.

Hongjoong paused for a moment, uncertain, before asking.

“Really seonbae, what’s going on?”

Seokjin pursed his lips before meeting Hongjoong’s eyes.

“Why don’t you, Yunho-ya, and I go on a walk for a moment?”

The group tensed, Hongjoong and Yeosang sharing a look that spoke beyond what the others could possibly understand before nodding.  In turn, Mingi and Yunho exchanged curt nods. And then Yeosang and Mingi left.

The three watched before Seokjin started to stride away, whispering over his shoulder.

“To the gardens.  Less places for ears to hide.”

 

* * *

 

“Seonbae, will you please tell me what’s going on?”

Seokjin stood by bush, thumbing a bright red flower that had just bloomed with a gentleness reserved for caring for newborns.  He didn’t tear his eyes away as he answered.

“There’s a rumor that a man in Seoul is trying to start a coup.”

The sentence was spoken mildly, casually, as though he was complimenting to flower for its rapid development.

Hongjoong was stunned silent.  

In the ground, he could feel the black seeping into the garden.  In his mind’s eye, he could see the flower turning black before being plucked, withering to nothing more than dust.

“My men haven’t spoken one word of such rumors to me,” Yunho replied.

When Hongjoong looked back at the flower it was still vibrant and intact, cradled carefully between fingers that didn’t seek to harm it.

Hongjoong couldn’t shake the tension from his shoulders.

Seokjin let the flower slip from his fingers as he meet Yunho’s gaze.

“Probably hasn’t reached your men yet.  As far as I know it’s a common man’s rumor.”

Yunho nodded slowly and finally Hongjoong spoke up.

“And you know this how?”

“Yoongi-ya.”

Hongjoong and Yunho nodded in understanding.

Min Yoongi was a close friend of Seokjin’s.  Hongjoong had known Yoongi briefly when he was younger.  The man had worked for the military at the time, under the branch Yunho now had jurisdiction over.  From the little Hongjoong knew, Yoongi was exceptionally good at his job, one of the best spies the empire had seen during the previous emperor’s reign.  But Hongjoong had only met Yoongi in passing. Spoken to the man even less. From the little Hongjoong could recall, Yoongi was reserved, observant, and extremely quick witted.  Upon reflection it only made sense he was one of the greatest spies the empire had seen.

During the time of his father’s reign, when Hongjoong had begun looking into the whisper, there was an uprising in the southern part of the empire that was quickly, and almost silently, swept under the rug.  Spies had been sent south to keep watch on situation, Yoongi had been among the few sent. He was one of the few lucky enough to return in one piece. Despite this, he had suffered a severe shoulder injury that never healed properly.  It was left up to the jurisdiction of the court whether or not Yoongi was fit to continue serving. Expectedly, the majority of the court deemed him unfit and Yoongi was forced to retire from his post.

At least that’s what the rest of the court knew to be true.

Yoongi was not without his own rumors.  Neither was Seokjin. Hongjoong had been too young at the time to understand why the rest of his father’s court seemed to despise the spy or why the court would glare at Seokjin anytime Yoongi was present or even mentioned.  Hongjoong had heard the court, heard how they claimed Seokjin kept bad company, was a class traitor. It never made sense then. It never made sense when the court lashed out at Seokjin’s approval of Yunho’s promotion.  

Once Yunho was promoted, Hongjoong’s curiosity got the better of him and the matter was investigated.  

Yoongi was of common blood, hailing from a small town which he ran away from.  

Seokjin was his sponsor.

The court had believed Yoongi to be too common of blood to keep in the palace.  Hongjoong and Yunho believed Yoongi to be too valuable of a spy to just let go of.

It was Yunho’s idea to approach Yoongi with the offer of a job, one right under the noses of the court that had hated him.  Seokjin had first approached Yoongi with the offer but the man refused, stating that while he believed Seokjin’s offer, he had little reason to believe the sincerity in Yunho’s offer, no matter how similar their circumstances were.  What Yoongi hadn’t been expected was for Yunho to personally meet with him and practically beg the man to consider his offer. And to everyone’s surprise, Yoongi finally agreed.

Now Yoongi was back to being a spy, this time working under Yunho (though Yunho had too much respect for the man to really view the situation in that light).  Hidden within Seoul among commoners who knew nothing about his life before living in the bustling city, he was the perfect spy to keep hidden from both the public and the court.

Hongjoong loathed the fact he had hoped he’d never need Yoongi to report anything.

Hongjoong cleared his throat and stood a bit straighter.

“What does Yoongi-ssi know at the moment?”

Seokjin simply sighed, unbothered by Hongjoong’s prior silence.

“Not very much, the locals aren’t saying much about the matter.  He said that only a few people have been approached so far and that the general consensus from those who have been approached is that the man’s unnerving but pretty unassuming.”

Hongjoong could see Yunho shrug in agreement out of the corner of his eye, the motion easing his nerves slightly.

“Is that really it?  Anything about the man himself?”

“Frankly this is all guesswork on Yoongi-ya’s part but he thinks the man’s probably a commoner with ties to nobility since most of the common folk aren’t unhappy with your reign thus far.”

Both Yunho and Hongjoong both nodded, Yunho speaking up.

“That would make the most sense.”

Seokjin hummed in agreement before continuing.

“The only other thing Yoongi-ya knows from listening to others is that the man’s disarmingly charming and otherwise fairly normal seeming.”

“So not someone we could easily follow even if we knew who he was?”

It was more of a statement than a question on Yunho’s part.

Seokjin nodded.

“Yoongi-ya said he’d still monitor the situation and update you as he learns more but he wanted me to tell you as soon as possible despite not knowing much at the moment.”

Hongjoong’s lips quirked into a small smile despite the dread in his gut.

“And we appreciate it greatly.  Really.”

Seokjin smiled back.

“He knows.”

There was a moment of silence before Yunho cleared his throat quietly, a small grin playing at his lips as he looked to Seokjin.

“Now Seokjin-ssi, I have a question.”

Seokjin raised an eyebrow almost comically high.

“Yes?”

“What’s this about Heechul-ssi calling you a class-traitor again?”

Hongjoong snorted as Seokjin blinked before letting loose a stray cackle.

“Ah, he’s just mad that kitchen staff actually like me and give me food.”

Yunho snickered while Hongjoong rolled his eyes in good humor.

“I need to get after Hoseok-ssi about that, I swear.  He’s far too nice to you.”

Seokjin smirked and made a show of looking at his nails.

“Now, now your Majesty, no need to get jealous about your servants liking me more.”

Hongjoong rolled his eyes again and smiled, still tense but more calm than before.

“Alright seonbae, if that’s it, go find someone else to bother.”

Seokjin huffed and made a feeble attempt at hiding a smile.

“Rude, your Majesty.  But I’ll let it slide.”

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow.

“ _ You’ll _ let it slide, hm?”

“I’m benevolent like that.”

The three laughed before Seokjin spun on his heel and began walking out of the garden, calling over his shoulder.

“Really though your Majesty, I’ll keep you updated.”

Hongjoong sucked in a breath and tried to let it out normally.

“Thank you, seonbae.  Really.”

Once Seokjin faded back into the glamour of the palace, Hongjoong let out a shaky sigh  and shared a tired glance with Yunho who said nothing and simply let out a sigh of his own.

And for a moment the gardens seemed to dull in the gleaming sunlight.

 

* * *

 

“Do you think it’s anything bad?”

Yeosang swallowed down the dread in his throat and managed a mild shrug.

“It can’t be any worse than the regular court gossip.”

Mingi huffed, not eased by Yeosang’s answer but after a moment replied.

“I hope you’re right.”

Yeosang sucked in a breath and focused on keeping his steps even.

“I hope so too.”

They continued on in silence for a bit, Yeosang taking the time to count the lines in the floorboards, his eyes barely keeping up with his steps.  He kept his gaze trained on the ground, knowing full well that if he looked up at anything else in the palace the pit in his stomach would only grow.  But still his mind would slip, his vision unfocusing under the weight of his thoughts, his worries. He almost didn’t notice the footsteps approaching him and Mingi.

“Excuse me!”

The pair stopped and turned, greeted with the smiling face of one Choi San.

“Ah, hello San-ssi.”

Yeosang always found San to be one of the more interesting characters in the court.  San was one of the youngest and one of the most active participants in the court, having taken over his father’s role after he and his wife succumbed to sickness.  Despite his age, most of the court seemed to like him and his charming way with words, the court seemed to respect San in the way Hongjoong longed to be respected. However, San was never opposed to Hongjoong, usually finding clever little ways to sway the court in Hongjoong’s favor and for that, Yeosang couldn’t help but respect San too.

But San was also an oddity.  The respect the court had for him always seemed strange to Yeosang as the court had thinly veiled contempt for San’s parents who were responsible for Yunho’s initial sponsorship into the military.  Yeosang supposed that after Min Yoongi’s sponsorship over a decade ago, the court was a bit more forgiving now than it had been then. He also guessed that San’s tendency to stick within his own social ranking made him more favorable to the older members of the court.

Beyond his relationship with the court, Yeosang knew very little about San.  He knew menial things about the man like his bizarre collection of pets and foreign clothing, but nothing of real substance about the court member.

“Hello gentlemen.”

San stopped just short of the two and gave a small bow.

Mingi raised an eyebrow at the gesture but didn’t question it.

“Is everything alright San-ssi?”

San almost didn’t seem to process the question, instead looking around behind Yeosang and Mingi before suddenly answering, eyes still searching in the distance.

“Hm?  Oh yes, I’m fine.  Where’s Yunho?”

Yeosang and Mingi shared a look, both pressing down amused grins.

“He had some business to attend to with his Majesty.”

Mingi didn’t bother hiding his amusement as he spoke up next.

“Miss seeing him, San-ssi?”

The pair laughed as San pouted and snapped his head away.

“I didn’t come here to be teased, you brute.”

Mingi just laughed in reply, Yeosang shaking his head before deciding to spare San some embarrassment.

“And then what did you come here for?”

San turned back, his face notably less flush than before.

“I just wanted to inform you that I received a letter from Seonghwa-hyung saying he should be back at the capital in around a week.”

Yeosang blinked.

“Seonghwa-ssi?”

San cocked his head before an amused smile pull at his lips.

“Yes?  Don’t tell me you forgot about the banquet in two months.  I know you’re a busy man Yeosang-ssi but this isn’t like you.”

Yeosang forced out an embarrassed laugh while San and Mingi chuckled at his expense.

“Ah yes.  Pardon me, I have a lot on my mind at the moment.”

San smiled back.

“You’re fine, Yeosang-ssi.  I’m sure you have your hands full with his Majesty.”

His smile turned a bit more mischievous as he leaned in conspiratorially.

“I heard that his Majesty hid in the stables the other day to avoid his lessons.”

Yeosang rolled his eyes with a groan while Mingi chuckled nervously from behind.

“Where’d you hear about that?”

San smiled back easily.

“Jongho-ssi.”

“That traitor.”

At that, Yeosang and San couldn’t help but laugh at Mingi’s quiet outrage.

Mingi was quick to change the subject.

“Have you heard anything else from anyone?”

San shook his head.

“Not yet at least, but I’ll keep you updated if I get anymore letters.”

Mingi and Yeosang nodded.

“Please do.”

“Of course but I do have one request I’d like to speak with you about.”

Yeosang raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, what is it?”

“I’m aware the banquet’s a while off but if you can,  _ please _ spare me from having to sit between Heechul-seonbae and Seokjin-seonbae.  I don’t think I’m strong enough to do that twice.”

There was a pause before Yeosang and Mingi broke into a fit of snickers, Mingi answering through a mischievous grin.

“You have nothing to worry about San-ssi.  You’ll hardly notice them while you’re busy looking for Yunho-ya.”

They laughed even harder watching San’s face flush pink.

“That’s rather presumptuous of you, don’t you think?”

This time Yeosang grinned.

“I’m sorry San-ssi, weren’t you looking for Yunho-ya just a moment ago?”

“Excuse you!  I am an honorable member of the court-”

“The only thing you’re honorable to San-a is your own pets!”

Yeosang and Mingi bit back another laugh as San spun around to face a grinning Yunho and laughing Hongjoong.  The happy grin on San’s face taking away any bite as he turned to Hongjoong.

“I can’t believe this your Majesty, you let them slander a member of the court like this?”

Hongjoong grinned.

“When it’s appropriate, yes.”

San gasped but bent into a bow as Hongjoong and Yunho came to a stop in front of him.

“Well, I can’t argue with you, your Majesty.”

Hongjoong only laughed before asking.

“Please don’t let us interrupt, what were you all discussing just now?”

Yeosang and Mingi stifled laughs at the way San pointedly avoided Yunho’s wide eyed stare, clearing his throat before answering.

“I was asking them to pass a message to you but now that you’re here, this will be easier.”

Hongjoong smiled.

“Wonderful, what is it?”

“Seonghwa-hyung sent me a letter a few days ago, he’s headed back to the capital for the upcoming banquet and should be in the city in around a week.”

Hongjoong’s smile thinned a bit.

“Ah, so he is coming to this banquet, isn’t he.”

San continued.

“Hyung did apologize for missing the last one but since he’s no longer on diplomatic business, he’d like to come home and visit again.  Really your Majesty, I know you two don’t get along well but he’s not as bad as you make him out to be.”

Hongjoong sighed.

“I suppose he wouldn’t be if some of the court would stop saying he’d make a better emperor.”

At that the group fell silent, only San sighing and answering.

“Honestly your Majesty, you don’t give yourself enough credit.  You’re doing a wonderful job as ruler, the court just doesn’t like getting acquainted with change, you know this.”

Hongjoong forced out a thin smile.

“Thank you, San-a.  I’m glad to have you on my side.”

San grinned while the group eased back into the lightened air.

“I wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else, your Majesty.”

And for a moment the group lapsed into an easy silence only to be broken by a grinning Mingi.

“Oh also your Majesty, San-ssi had a request as well.”

San blinked before looking to Hongjoong like a man desperately begging for mercy from an executioner.

“ _ Please _ your Majesty, don’t make me have to sit between Heechul-seonbae and Seokjin-seonbae at the upcoming banquet.  They might stab out my eyes with chopsticks while trying to kill each other.”

Hongjoong let out a startled laugh.

“I’ll see what I can do, San-a.”

“Your Majesty, I’m begging you.  I’m afraid I won’t survive dealing with them.”

“Don’t worry San-a, I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

Yeosang, Mingi, and Hongjoong bit back matching grins at San’s flustered thanks while Yunho smiled on like he didn’t just make San’s day.

After that, the conversation grew to an end and San said his goodbyes, the group trying not to laugh at San and Yunho’s lingering looks before San finally turned and walked away.

The group waited till they were alone in the hall before they turned to each other.

Yeosang turned to Hongjoong with thinly veiled worry.

“What did Seokjin-ssi want to talk about.”

Immediately Hongjoong and Yunho’s expression’s soured and the hall grew cold.

Hongjoong stood up straighter and skilled his expression into a mask of practiced blankness.

He almost looked like an emperor.

“Let’s go to my chambers.  We have a lot to discuss."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the new chapter!! Kudos and comments are always appreciated and I always try responding to every comment I get!! Never stop creating
> 
>  
> 
> tumblr: soda-pressing-with-terrible-puns

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!! Comments and kudos always appreciated!!  
> Never stop creating
> 
> tumblr: soda-pressing-with-tearable-puns


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